Assembling covered cushioned articles



Sept. 8, 1970 H. E. WORTSMITH, sR 3,527,397

ASSEMBLING COVERED CUSHIONED ARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 26,1968 INVENTOR Sept. 8, 1970 H. E. WORTSMITH, SR 3,527,397

ASSEMBLING COVERED CUSHIONED ARTICLES 5 SheetsSheet 3 Filed Nov. 26.1968 INVENTOR N2 mo. 02 mm .m. 5 00 mm 2 mo. m

HAERJGAN E-WOIZTSM m-u BY fnascm zi M 401mm,

ATTORNEYS Sept. 8, 1970 H. E. WORTSMITH, SR 3,527,397

ASSEMBLING COVERED CUSHIONED ARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 26,1968 INVENTOR l BY 2% I I? (g walk mm a \maamb RNEYs Sept 8, 1970 H. E.WORTSMITFLSR 3,527,397

ASSEMBLING COVERED CUSHIONED ARTICLES Filed Nov. 26, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet4 82 i Ema a:

: INVENTOR HARRIGAM E.Wo|21'sMn-H;E+

ATTORNEYS Sept. 8, 1970 H. E. WORTSMITH, SR ,3

ASSEMBLING COVERED CUSHIONED ARTICLES Filed Nov. 26, 1968 r 5Sheets-Sheet 5 HARRIGAN E-WORTSMITl-lfifi Wigwam; imme ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent 0 3,527,397 ASSEMBLING COVERED CUSHIONED ARTICLES HarriganE. Wortsmith, Sr., 4270 E. 43rd St., North Little Rock, Ark. 72117 FiledNov. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 778,944 Int. Cl. B25c 1/00 US. Cl. 227--13 19Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for completing kneelingbenches, or like articles, wherein components of the article, includinga rigid base member, a cushion and a flexible cover memher, are freelyassembled in inverse order on a tray which is automatically driven alonga conveyor path to means to fold the edges of the cover member over thelongitudinal side edges of the base member, means to smooth and tensionthe folded-over side edges, and then to staplers that drive staplesthrough the folded-over cover edges into the base member to complete theassembly. The tray is guided to prevent transverse movement, and theassembled components are compressed vertically with the base member heldin the predetermined horizontal plane through the machine. All parts arefreely adjustable for different widths and heights of articles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to machines forautomatically securing a flexible cover material to a solid base memberwhile enclosing a cushioning material on the base member to produce acomplete cushioning member.

In making articles such as box springs, chair backs, cushions, kneelingbenches and similar articles, a bottom of solid wood, or a wood frame,is used to support a cushioning material, either foam or springs, and aflexible cover material is drawn tightly over the cushioning materialand has its edges folded under, and secured to, the lower edge portionsof the bottom. Usually, the covering is secured in place by having itsinturned edges stapled along the lower sides of the bottom member.

The manufacture of articles of this nature has normally been a manualoperation, requiring the services of skilled men in order to produce anacceptable product. Even when produced by skilled tradesmen, theoperation is slow. The assembly of the materials, the precise andcontinuous compression of the cushioning material to just the rightdegree, plus the hand tacking, or stapling, is tedious andtime-consuming. Naturally, high costs and limited production result.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general object of the present invention isto provide an automatic machine which will be capable of feeding anassembly of base members, cushioning material and cover to mechanisms toproperly compress the cushioning material, draw the cover materialsnugly and uniformly about the cushioning material, fold the side edgesof the cover over the base member and staple the cover to the base whilethe parts are held in proper relation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for this naturewhich is capable of continuous operation to draw the cover material inplace and staple it irrespective of the length of assembled material fedto it.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means in a machineof this type which will enable the machine to be stopped during anassembly operation and to be restarted without harm to the article beingproduced.

Yet another object is to provide means to allow the 3,527,397. PatentedSept. 8, 1970 mechanism to be adjusted to receive assemblies ofdifferent width or depth, or both.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a machine toproduce the mentioned articles wherein the means for moving theassembled materials through the machine also serve as means to compressthe cushioning material to the desired degree.

It is also an object to provide a machine wherein the materials of thearticle to be completed can be assembled in a tray in preliminaryinverted position, and then moved into, and through, a machine on thetray.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingdescription of one practical embodiment thereof, when taken inconjunction with the drawings which accompany, and form part of, thisspecification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of amachine embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical section through the machine, takensubstantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical, transverse section, taken on the line 44 of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of one of the stapling units ofthe machine, together with its mounting means and part of its operatingmechanism;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the tray forsupporting the assembled materials and the materials in the order inwhich they will be placed in the tray;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of part of an article after stapling; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, but with the end of the articlebeing closed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although, the machineof the present invention can be used to complete articles such as boxsprings, chair backs and cushions, it will be disclosed in connectionwith the making of kneeling benches, as these are perhaps the simplestof the articles to be made and yet require the full operation of themachine.

The machine can be mounted upon any suitable frame. Frame 1, as shown,consists of vertical corner posts 2, arranged in a rectangular pattern,joined at their bottoms to a rectangular base frame 3. Base frame 3extends transversely a considerable distance beyond the corner posts,and angularly extending braces 4 connect the outrigger portions of thebase to the corner posts. At a distance above the base, at what will besubstantially the working level of the machine, upper side frames 5project outwardly from the corner posts to overlie portions of theoutrigger parts of the base frame. These upper side frames arediscontinuous transversely intermediate the adjacent corner posts.Transversely extending angle members 6, which join adjacent corner postsat the ends of the machine are located near the tops of the posts tohold the posts in proper spaced relation. Although other extensions ofthe basic frame will be described, the above-mentioned membersconstitute the frame.

Angle members 7 are attached to the inner sides of the corner posts 2and extend longitudinally of the machine, projecting considerabledistances beyond both ends of the frame. The length of the projection ofthe angle members 7 on the entrance end of the machine 8 is determinedby the length of the articles to be produced, and can be any desiredlength. The same is true for the projection of the angle members 7 onthe exit side 9 of the machine. Here, again, it will be necessary tosupport the completed articles as they emerge from the machine. The

lower, inwardly directed flanges of the angle members 7 form supportsfor channel side rails 10 of an articlesupporting path completed bytransversely extending rollers 11, which are located at spaced intervalsalong the full length of the side rails and have shafts 12 rotatablysupported in the side rails. The rollers have then tops lying in thecommon horizontal plane to provide a rolling support for articles movedinto, and from, the operating portion of the machine.

Turning now particularly to FIG. 6, it can be seen that the materials toproduce the desired article are assembled in a tray 13, on which thematerials are transported along the support path formed by the rollers11 to and through, the operating mechanisms of the machine. The tray iscomposed of a flat bottom member 14 having angle members 15 extendingalong its sides. The vertical webs of the angle members are flush withthe sides of the bottom and form vertical extensions of those sides. Inorder to give some preliminary shape to the materials as they areassembled, filler strips 16 are placed in the corners of the anglemembers 15. The tray will have a length equal to the article produced.In some instances, the assembled materials may be quite long and, whencompleted, cut into shorter lengths to be finished by closing the ends.In any event, the trays 13 will be the length of the materials to beused.

A flexible cover material 17 is first placed in the tray with its sideedges overhanging the sides of the tray. Cushioning material 18 is thenplaced on top of the cover material and pressed down into place to givea preliminary rounding of the corners of the assembly, after which thebase member 19 is placed on top of the cushioning member and adhered toit. The leading ends of the cover material are then manually brought upover the sides of the cushioning material and the side edges are pulledinto overlapping relation with the base member 19. In doing this, thecushioning is put under slight compression so that the resilienttendency of the cushioning to return to its original condition willexert some pressure against the cover material and hold it taut andsmooth. When the cover material ends are in position over the side edgesof the bottom, a staple 20 is inserted at each corner to hold the coverin position. Obviously, the cover material behind the staple point willtend to open up to its original fiat position. However, the originalfold-over the bottom edge has been made and the position of the coveredges established.

The assembled materials in the tray, with the staples at the leadingend, will be lying on the support rollers 11 and the entire assembly canbe moved along the entrance end 9 toward the operating section of themachine.

- As the tray with its assembled kneeling bench components approachesthe operating portion of the machine, it first passes between a pair ofpositioning rollers 21 which fix the position of the tray transverselyof the supporting rollers to align it for subsequent operations. Theserollers bear against the sides of the channel members 15 of the tray toposition the tray itself. Each roller is mounted on an arm 22 which ispivotally connected at 23 to a bracket 24 fixed to the outside of theangle members 7. The pivot 23 for the arm is formed by a bolt, whichpermits the arm to be adjusted to any angle relative to its bracket andthen, by tightening the bolt, maintained at the desired angle. This willnot only allow the arms to be adjusted for shifting the tray positionlaterally, but it will also allow the rollers to be moved toward andaway from one another for adjustment for trays of different widths.

As the tray continues past the rollers 21, the base member 19 of theassembly rides under a positioning wheel 25 which is set to determinethe height of the horizontal plane in which the bottom member of theassembly will be held through the operating portion of the machine. Thewheel is carried in a mount 26 which has a vertical post 27. Post 27 hasa sliding fit within a vertical sleeve 28 carried by the front cross bar6 of the frame. A set 4 screw 29 in the sleeve 28 will hold the postfixed within the sleeve with the wheel 25 at the desired height. Wheel25 is located midway between the vertical posts 2 transversely of theframe, so as to ride substantially along the middle of the kneelingbench base member 19.

As the assembled materials on the tray move forwardly beyond the wheel25, they pass between a pair of angularly positioned rollers 30. Theserollers are located on opposite sides of the tray path, and their angleis such that their rotational axes converge upwardly. The rollerscontact the assemblies along the upper corners and serve to exert somedownward pressure on the edge of the kneeling bench base member, and, atthe same time, turn over the upstanding edges of the cover material to aposition angularly overlying the edges of the base member to give thecover member an initial partial fold prior to reaching turning elementsto be described. Each roller is mounted in a U-shaped bracket 31 havingan outwardly projecting mounting bar 32. Bars 32 are slidably supportedupon angle members 33, carried by the upper frames 5. The members 33have horizontal ears 34 overlying the mounting bars 32 and carrying setscrews 35 which can be tightened upon the mounting bars 32 tofrictionally bind these bars in adjusted positions on the angle members33. The mounting bars are adjustable transversely of the machine, towardand from the tray path to accommodate kneeling bench assemblies ofdifferent widths and to position the rollers 30 to bear upon the upperedges of the assembly with just the proper amount of pressure.

The assembled materials next move under a plurality of hold-down rollers36, 37 and 38. These rollers are similar in structure and function tothe roller 25. The rollers 36 and 37 are axially aligned in spacedrelation transversely of the machine, while the roller 38 is locatedbehind the other two, and is in longitudinal alignment with the roller25 to ride along the mid-section of the kneeling bench base member.These three rollers are carried on a U-shaped pivoted frame 39 havingside arms 40 and a bridge member 41. The outer ends of the arms 40 aremounted on corner posts 2 by means of pivots 42. The pivotal mounting ofthe frame permits it to tilt vertically to raise and lower the bridgemember 41. Arms 40', adjacent their juncture with the bridge member 41,carry adjusting screws 43, pivotally connected to the arms at 44. Thelower portions of the screws are threaded and project through openingsin brackets connected to the upper side frames 5, and nuts 46 and 47permit adjustment of the screws 43 vertically to hold the frame indesired positions of adjustment. Rollers 36 and 37 are rotatable inmounts 48 and 49 which seat beneath the bridge member 41 of the frame39. The mounts carry, respectively, brackets 50 and 51 with set screws52 and 53 positioned to bear against the upper side of the bridge member41. This permits the rollers to be adjust transversely of the frame todifferent distances from the longitudinal center of the tray path.Roller 38 is supported in a mount 54 having a vertical post 55. The postis vertically slidable in a sleeve 56 carried by a bracket 57 secured tothe rear side of bridge member 41 of the frame 39. A set screw 58 in thesleeve holds the post at various positions of adjustment, so that roller38 may have the same bearing pressure upon the assembled materials asthe rollers 36 and 37.

Directly beneath the hold-down rollers 36 and 37, there are two driverollers 59 and 60 fixed to a drive shaft 61 mounted in bearings 62seated on plates 63 projecting from beneath the angle members 7. Thetops of the drive rollers 59 and 60 are above the plane of the tops ofthe rollers 11 forming the tray support path so as to raise the trayfrom the path and insure frictional driving contact of the tray with therollers. By proper adjustment of the hold-down rollers 36 and 37, afixed distance is provided between the hold-down rollers and the driverollers to assure the required compression of the cushioning materialand the proper bearing pressure of the tray upon the drive rollers fornon-slipping driving.

Roller shaft 61 also carries a sprocket 64 which is driven by a chain 65from a sprocket 66 on the output shaft 67 of a gear reducer 68. The gearreducer is mounted on the base frame 3, and is driven by a motor 69 alsomounted on the base frame. The motor shaft 70 and the reducer inputshaft 71 are shown as in line and directly coupled.

Gear reducer output shaft 67 also carries a sprocket 72 which, by meansof a chain 73, drives a sprocket 74 on a second drive shaft 75 near theexit end of the machine. The drive shaft 75 carries additional driverollers 76 and 77, similarly located to the drive rollers on the shaft61 near the entrance end of the machine. Directly above the driverollers 76 and 77, are additional hold-down rollers 78 and 79 carried bya pivoted frame 80. The rollers are in mounts 81 and 82 which havebrackets 83 and 84 carrying set screws 85 and 86, similar to the mountsfor the hold-down rollers 36 and 37, so that the rollers 78 and 79 maybe adjustably positioned along the bridge member of the pivoted frame80'. Adjusting screws 87 are pivotally attached at 88 to the side armsof the frame 80, and pass through brackets 89 on the angle members 7, inthe same manner as the adjusting screws 43 for the frame 3-9.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the assembled materials onthe tray are driven by the rollers 59* and 60 and 76 and 77 adjacentopposite ends of the machine, and the assembled materials are held incompressive contact with these rollers by means of the hold-down rollers36, 37 and 38 at the entrance end 78 and 79 near the exit end. Thisassures precise compression of the materials throughout the working areaintermediate the driving rollers and parallelism between the tray andthe base member of the kneeling bench materials as the assembly movesthrough cover material edge-folders, edge-tensioners and stapling unitsto be described.

The first operating station at which the assembled materials arrive intheir passage through the machine is the cloth edge-turning station 90.At this station, there are edge-turners 91 located at each side of thetray path to turn, or fold, the upstanding edges of the cover memberover the outer, longitudinal edge portions of the base member, and tohold the turned over cover edges in this position as they leave thestation. Each edge-turner includes a turning head having a vertical wall92 which lies close to the edge of the assembled materials and is substantially parallel to the side edge of the assembled materials, and aturning flange 93 overlying the top edge of the assembled materials. Theleading edge 94 of the turning flange is raised above the top plane ofthe assembled materials and is inclined from its juncture with thevertical flange 92 towards its free edge. The trailing edge 95 of theturning flange 93 is substantially parallel to the tray path and will beflush with the turned-over cover material edge as the assembledmaterials move under it. The turning flange is designed to present asmooth under surface gradually changing from the raised inclined leadingedge to the horizontal trailing edge. As the upstanding edge of thecloth reaches the leading edge and proceeds under the turning flange, itwill be gradually turned over until it is flat against the exposedsurface of the base member of the kneeling bench. The substantiallyflush arrangement of the trailing edges serves to hold the covermaterial in its turned over position in contact with the surface of thebase member.

The turning heads of the edge-turners have their vertical flanges 92joined to horizontally extending mounting bars 96. The mounting bars areslidably supported upon the bottom flanges of mounting brackets 97attached for vertical adjustmment upon upstanding frame legs 98 securedat their lower ends to the side walls of the angle members 7 whichsupport the rails of the tray path. The vertical adjustment isaccomplished by means of bolts 99,

which extend from the brackets through vertical slots 100 in the legs98. Mounting brackets 97 carry set screws 10 1 which pass through theupper flanges of the mounting brackets to contact the mounting bars 96and hold them in position. This construction allows the mountingbrackets to be raised and lowered for assemblies of different height andfor the edge-turners to be moved laterally of the tray path toaccommodate assemblies of different width.

The next operating station in the line is the cover edgesweeping andtensioning station 102. At this station, there are rotary brushes 103positioned on each side of the tray path overlying the assembledmaterials. The brushes are positioned transversely of the tray path, buthave a slight forward angle in the direction of travel of the tray andassembled components. This position will enable the brushes, which arerotating in directions to cause their bottoms to move inwardly of theassembled materials, to sweep over the turned edges of the cover topress the cover into firm engagement with the base member surface and topull the edges of the cover inwardly to draw the cover taut and hold itin this condition as it approaches the stapling units. Each brush ismounted on its own motor 104, and the motors are connected to mountingbars 105 which are secured in brackets 106 mounted for verticaladjustment on the frame legs 98. The adjustment of the brackets on theleg is by means of bolts 107 through slots 108 in the brackets. Mountingbrackets 106 carry set screws 109 to hold the mounting bars in positionsof lateral adjustment. Here, again, provision is made for raising andlowering the brushes and for moving them inwardly and outwardly relativeto the tray path.

While the cover edges are smooth and under tension just after leavingthe station 102, the assembled materials arrive at a stapling station110. Here, stapler units 111 at each side of the tray path are broughtinto operative contact with the top of the folded over cover edges inrapid succession as the assembly moves along the path, to drive staplesthrough the cover edges and into the rigid base material atpredetermined spaced intervals along the cover material. The mountingsfor the stapler units are such that the units can be moved in and outrelative to the tray path, and vertically to increase or decrease theiroperating heights, and the entire unit can be tilted to raise and lowerthe stapler units from and to operative, stapling position with respectto the assembled components moving along the path.

The stapling unit is shown including a gun 112, of any conventionaltype, having a staple magazine 113. The gun has horizontally extendingside flanges 114. The mount for the gun consists of a base block 115,and base, intermediate and top hinge leaves 116, 117 and 118. Base block115 is permanently fixed to the underside of the base hinge leaf 16.Base hinge leaf 116 is hingedly connected at its back end 119, to oneend of the intermediate hinge leaf 117, and the opposite end of theintermediate hinge leaf is hinged, as at 120, to the forward end of thetop hinge leaf 118. This arrangement is most clearly shown in FIG. 5 ofthe drawings. At its outer end, the base block has threaded ears 121which receive threaded adjustment screws 122. Rotation of the screwswill raise or lower the top ends of the screws, and the screws can beheld in positions of vertical adjustment by means of lock nuts 123. Theouter end of the intermediate hinge leaf 117, that is, the end remotefrom the hinge connection 119 of the intermediate hinge with the basehinge, rests upon the tops of the adjusting screws 122. Thus, the anglebetween the base and intermediate hinge leaves can be increased ordecreased by setting the adjustment screws. At its inner end, the baseblock 115 carries additional ears 124 to receive a second set ofadjustment screws 125. These screws are held in positions of verticaladjustment by means of lock nuts 126. The inner end of the top hingeleaf 118, that is, the free end of the hinge leaf, rests upon the topsof the adjusting '7 screws 125. By this arrangement, the angle betweenthe base hinge leaf and the intermediate hinge leaf can be increased ordecreased to raise or lower the hinge from or toward the base hinge leaf116 by adjustment of the screws 122, and then the top hinge leaf can bebrought into parallelism with the base hinge leaf by adjustment of thescrews 125. This permits maintaining the base and top hinge leaves inparallelism while permitting adjustment of the distance between thesetwo hinge leaves.

The side flanges 114 of the stapler gun rests upon the top hinge leaf118. The gun is held in positions of adjustment longitudinally of thehinge leaf by means of a holddown bracket 127 which has side anglemembers 128 with horizontal flanges 129 to seat upon the side flanges114 of the stapler gun. The side flanges of the hold-down bracket haveapertures 130 to receive the stems of tiedown bolts 131 which arepivotally connected at 132 to ears 133 projecting from the base hingeleaf 116. With the bolts 131 through the openings 130 in the hold-downbrackets, and the stapler gun in proper adjusted position on the tophinge leaf 118, nuts 134 are threaded onto the ends of the tie-downbolts and tightened to lock the stapler gun to the top leaf of themount. When these nuts are tightened, they not only secure the staplergun rigidly in position, but they also serve to lock the entire mount inposition to hold the top leaf rigidly upon its adjusting screws 125 andthe intermediate leaf tightly against its adjusting screws 122. Thus,the entire unit can be locked, but the stapler gun can be moved in andout and raised and lowered.

The entire unit is pivotally attached to the frame by means of a hinge135 which has one leaf connected to the bottom hinge leaf 116 of thestapler mount and its other leaf fixedly secured to the outer edge ofthe upper side frame 5 of the machine frame. This permits the entirestapler unit, after setting and locking, to be tilted about the hingeconnection 135 to raise and lower the stapling gun from and to staplingposition.

After the assembled components have been stapled, the operation iscompleted. The completed article then passes out of the machine bymoving first between a second pair of inclined side guide rollers 136,which are identical to the inclined rollers 30 at the entrance end. Therollers 136 are supported in U-shaped brackets 137 having mounting bars138. Angle support members 139, mounted on the upper side frames 5,provide seats for the mounting bars, and set screws 140 in the anglemembers hold the mounting bars at desired positions of adjustment alongthe angle members.

The completed unit moves on beneath the rollers 78 and 79 and over thedrive rollers 76 and 77. The drive rollers exert a pulling force toassist in drawing the tray and its kneeling bench through the operatingsection of the machine and onto the delivery, or exit, end. The rollers78 and 79 press down on the base member of the bench and maintain it inthe same horizontal plane originally set by the hold-down rollers 36 and37.

In continuing its passage out of the machine, the tray contacts two morepairs of side rollers 141 and 142. These rollers are mounted on arms 143and 144 which are pivotally connected to the frame at 145 and 146. Thesesets of rollers are identical to the rollers 21 in construction, mannerof adjustment, as well as function.

Intermediate the rollers 141 and 142, there is an additional hold-downroller 147. This roller is rotatably supported in a mount 148 having avertical post 149. The post is slidably received in a sleeve 150 fixedto the angle member 6 joining the rear pair of corner posts 2 on themain frame. A set screw 151 in the sleeve secures the post in verticalpositions of adjustment to maintain the roller 147 at the samehorizontal level as the other holddown rollers of the machine.

After the tray and its completed kneeling bench pass the last pair ofguide rollers 142, they ride freely along the support path to a positionwhere the kneeling bench is removed. The tray can be returned to thestarting point for the beginning of another cycle of operation.

Returning now to the stapling station, it will be recalled that thestapler units are mounted for pivotal movement about the hinges 135 toraise and lower the stapler gun to drive staples at spaced intervals asthe tray with its kneeling bench components moves beneath the stapler.This is accomplished by means of cams 152 which are mounted on the endsof a shaft 153 journaled in bearings 154 secured to the underside of theangle members 7. Shaft 153 is driven by means of a sprocket 155 mountedon the output shaft 67 of the gear reducer 68. Sprocket 155 is on thatend of shaft 67 which projects from the opposite side of the reducerhousing from the sprockets 66 and 72. Sprocket 155 carries a chain 156that drives a sprocket 157 mounted on the cam shaft 153. Thus, the camshaft is driven in timed relation to the drive for the rollers 59, 60,76 and 77. Base blocks 115 of the stapler mounts carry cam-followingrollers 158 which ride upon the surfaces of the cams 152. The cams mayhave any shape, depending upon the spacing desired between staples. Asshown, they have four rises 159 and four low areas 160. As the camsrotate, the rises will lift the staple mounts so that the stapling gunswill be raised from the assembled components. When the rollers ride offof the highs, the staplers can drop with the impact necessary to firethem and drive staples.

The stapler guns shown are air operated, and the guns are connected byflexible hoses 161 to a compressed air tank 162 supported on brackets163 carried by the front and rear corner posts 2 of the frame.

There are times when it is desirable to lift the staplers out of action,for reloading, for example, and manually operable means are provided forthis purpose. This means takes the form of lift rods 164 rotatablymounted in brackets 165 depending from the upper side frames 5. The rodsextend the full length of the main frame and have actuating handles 166at each end. Substantially centrally of the rods 164, directly beneaththe stapler units, the rods carry lift cams 167 which, when the rods 164are rotated, will rise into contact with the underside of the base block115 of the stapler unit and lift the unit, rocking it about its tiltinghinge 135. When the rod has been rotated to the degree necessary tocause the lift cams 167 to rise to a vertcial position, the staplerunits will be raised to inoperative position, with the cam-followingrollers 158 entirely out of contact with the operating cams 152. Thus,even though the remainder of the apparatus should be continued inoperation, the staplers will be Wholly inoperative. When the handles 1are rotated back to their inoperative positions, the lift cams will belowered so as to be entirely beneath any operative level of the staplerunits. As the cams 167 move out from beneath the base block 115, thestaplers are drawn down to operative position with their cam-followerrollers 158 in contact with the cams 152 by means of coil springs 168.These springs are connected to die base blocks 115 of the stapler unitsand to the base frame 3. Springs 168 also serve to hold the cam-followerrollers 148 in constant contact with the operating cams 152 duringnormal operation of the machine.

It will be seen from the above that the machine of the present inventionwill automatically complete kneeling benches, or articles of similarassembly nature, irrespective of the length of the articles. The machinemay be stopped whenever required, and restarted without interferencewith the regular pattern of operation. It will be noted also that thetray with its assembled components has driving contact on opposite sidesof the various operating mechanisms, and the assembly has its uppersurface held at a predetermined distance above the bottom of the trayand parallel with the tray. This provides a smooth, continuous tray feedand positions the base member of the article being made and the turnedover edges of the cover material at a fixed, predetermined heightrelative to the edge-folding, edge-sweeping, and stapling units. All ofthe various mechanisms of the machine are fully adjustable so thatarticles of different width or height, or both, can be manufactured withbut simple adjustment of the various operating and guide members. Due tothe fact that the tray with its assembled components is kept incontinuous motion throughout the entire operation, the finishing of thekneeling benches can be accomplished at a very high rate of speed. Thesimplicity of the machine assures substantially constant operation withlittle down time for repairs or replacement of parts.

While in the above one practical embodiment of the invention has beendisclosed, it will be understood that the particular details ofconstruction shown and described are merely by way of illustration, andthe invention may take other forms within the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A machine for making articles having a rigid-base member, a cushionon the base member, and a flexible cover member drawn over the cushionwith its side edges folded under the side edges of the base member. andstapled to the underside of the base member comprising, a frame, meanscarried by the frame forming a path through the machine, a tray on thepath to receive the components of the article to be made in invertedsuperimposed assembled position, means to move the tray with itsassembled components continuously through the machine, means along thepath carried by the frame to fold the side edges of a cover carried bythe tray over the side edges of a super-imposed base member as the traymoves along the path, means on the frame beyond the edgeturning means inthe direction of tray travel to drive staples through the turned-overcover edges into the underlying base member to staple the cover to thebase member, and means to raise and lower the staple-driving means toand from the assembled components on the tray in timed relation to theoperation of the means to drive the tray along the path to cause staplesto be driven at predetermined spaced intervals along the folded coveredges.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are means to adjust theedge-folding means positioned vertically and transversely of the path,and means to adjust the stapling means positioned vertically andtransversely of the path.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein there are means intermediatethe edge-folding and stapling means to sweep the folded-over cover edgesinwardly of the path.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein there are means to adjust theside-sweeping means vertically and transversely of the path.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein there are manually operablemeans to raise the stapling means out of operative position.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein there are means along thepath to position the tray transversely of the path and to guide it alongthe path.

7. A machine for making articles having a rigid base member, a cushionon the base member, and a flexible cover member drawn over the cushionwith its side edges folded under the side edges of the base member andstapled to the underside of the base member comprising, a frame,horizontal conveyor means extending longitudinally of the frame, a traysupported on the conveyor path to receive the components of the articlesto be made in inverted superimposed assembled order, means on the frameto drive the tray and the assembled components continuously along atleast a part of the conveyor path, means on the frame on each side ofthe conveyor path in the area along which the tray is continuouslydriven to fold the side edges of the cover member over the side edges ofthe superimposed base member as the tray moves along the conveyor path,stapling means on the frame on each side of the conveyor path beyond theedge-folding means in the direction of tray travel and in the area alongwhich the tray is continuously driven, means to raise and lower thestapling means from and to the folded-over edges of the cover member onthe tray, and means on the frame on each side of the conveyor path tohold the tray against transverse movement during tray travel along thearea in which the tray is driven.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein there is a cover edge-sweeperon the frame on each side of the conveyor path between the coveredge-folding means and the stapling means, and means to drive theedge-sweepers to impart a pull on the folded-over cover edges inwardlyof the conveyor path.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein the drive means includesdrive rollers raised above the conveyor path for frictional contact withthe tray bottom located in advance of the cover edge-folding means andbeyond the stapling means in the direction of tray travel, and means todrive the rollers continuously.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein there are hold-down rollerson the frame above the drive rollers mounted for contact with the basemember of the article to be made to compress the assembled components onthe tray, to hold the tray in driving contact with the rollers and tomaintain the base member at a predetermined level above the conveyorpath.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein each edge-folding meansincludes a head having a trailing end inner surface to conform to theshape of the folded-over cover edge and a leading end inner surfacespaced outwardly and upwardly relative to the trailing end inner surfaceto engage and turn the cover edge as the assembled components move alongthe conveyor path on the tray.

12. A machine as claimed in claim 11 wherein each stapling meansincludes a stapling gun and a mount for the gun, the gun mount beingpivotall mounted on the frame.

13. A machine as claimed in claim 12 wherein the means to raise andlower the stapling means includes cams engageable with the gun mounts,and means to rotate the cams.

14. A machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein there are manually operatedmeans mounted on the frame to raise the stapling gun mounts to lift theguns from operative position.

15. A machine as claimed in claim 14 wherein the stapling guns areadjustable on the mounts to shift the gun positions transversely of theconveyor path.

16. A machine as claimed in claim 15 wherein the stapling gun mounts areadjustable vertically to raise and lower the gun operative position.

17. A machine as claimed in claim 16 wherein the edge-folding heads andthe edge-sweeping means are adjpstable vertically and transversely ofthe conveyor pat 1.

18. A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein the hold-down rollers areadjustable vertically and the means to hold the tray against transversemovement are adjustable transversely of the conveyor path.

19. A machine as claimed in claim 18 wherein there are inclined rollerspositioned on each side of the conveyor path ahead of the edge-foldingmeans in the direction of the tray travel to engage the upper side edgesof the assembled components on the tray and partially turn theupstanding edges of the cover member prior to reaching the edge-foldingmeans.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,884,637 5/1959 Wandel 227- XR2,947,001 8/1960 Kamborian 22720 3,086,209 4/1963 Kamborian 227-20 XRGRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner

